The Four Dragons
by River4Rain
Summary: Long time no see.. It's been awhile but now i decided to get this story rolling again. The three ninjas and their brother in search for magical powers.
1. The arrival of someone new

The Power of The Four Dragons  
  
Aka Brotherly Love  
  
Chapter I  
  
Grandpa Mori hurried to the entrance of the airport. Today he had to take someone from the airport he hadn't seen for a long time. The boys really would have liked to come with him if they knew who he was bringing. But he left the boys at home because he had a surprise for them. He came into the large hall and immediately searched for the screen with the flight information. He checked the flight from Sydney. In greenish letters the word "ARRIVED" blinked. Grandpa started to look around.  
  
Thomas Douglas slowly walked out of the plane. The seventeen-year-old wore dark blue jeans and a red shirt. His spiky hair was blonde and he wore a pair of sunglasses. You could see from the look on his face he was nervous. Once he had grabbed his luggage and passed the customs he started looking for his grandfather, who'd come to pick him up.  
  
Grandpa Mori felt a sudden storm of emotions when he saw the boy walk towards him. At first the boy didn't notice him. He stopped and put his bags at his feet. A bit uncanny he looked around and suddenly his eyes found his grandfather. Thomas left his luggage and ran towards him. But when he came close to his grandpa, he suddenly made a high kick and tried to knock him out. Mori reacted immediately and jumped sideways. He blocked the kicks and made a backward flip. The boy came closer and closer and challenged him to fight. Suddenly the boy dropped his pose. "Hi Grandpa!" Grandpa Mori laughed and they hugged.  
  
"Where have you been so long my boy?"  
  
"I know, I know grandpa."  
  
"You look good. Better than the picture you sent me."  
  
There was a moment of silence between them. Both were thinking of early days.  
  
"It's good to have you back Nick." Grandpa concluded  
  
"I feel the same way Grandpa. And how are you? And… how are the boys?"  
  
"They're just fine. Probably a bit bored. But when you'll have arrived, they won't have time anymore to be bored."  
  
They laughed and after they'd collected Thomas' luggage, walked off to Grandpa's car.  
  
Rocky took his nunchaka out of the closet and tried a few swirls. Colt came into the room and almost got hit by it. "Easy, will ya!" he shouted but Rocky ignored him and threw the nunchaka next to his bed. "Man, this sucks!" he said. The only thing he heard was "Yea!". He stood and looked under his bed. "Tum Tum get out of there! That's my bed! You go hiding under your own!" But he was too lazy to pull him out and if Tum Tum didn't want to come out, fine. He could stay there.  
  
Suddenly Colt, who had been lying on his bed, sat up straight. "Hey guys, you know what?" Immediately he got the other's attention. "If Grandpa asks someone to learn us stuff, this guy has to be worth it. So what do you say if we try him a bit?" Rocky and Tum Tum grinned. "Awesome! Let's get the stuff and then we'll get started!"  
  
  
  
This is my first attempt on an English story, (I'm not a native English speaker) so feel free to add spelling or grammatical remarks or stuff like that.  
  
But also do please post if you like the story so far in general. Or if you dislike. Then also please tell why. Maybe I can improve. 


	2. Who are you?

The old red Cadillac drove towards the cabin and then stopped. Thomas felt an eerie feeling in his heart. The last time he had seen the house, he was a young inexperienced ninja. But still, it didn't look different. Grandpa's orchids and little bonsai trees were on the benches and the small patch of ground where they used to practice free fight was clean and free from leaves and branches. That had always been his chore each morning. He noticed three bikes next to the cabin. But still he didn't see any movement at all. No shouting voices, hurrying to see the new visitor.  
  
"That's strange." Grandpa said. "They knew you'd be here. I told them to stay here until you'd have arrived."  
  
Thomas laughed. "Probably some trick or another." He looked around and suddenly stood up in the car. "They're up to something..."  
  
He didn't even finish his sentence because he felt a shadow coming from the tree above him. He made a back flip and stood on the hood of the car. In front of him, on the passenger side stood a boy, dressed in black and with a red bandana. "Rocky! Don't!" Grandpa Mori yelled. But it was too late. Rocky jumped and tried to kick the boy, but Thomas made five back flips and then faced Rocky. He took position and challenged him to fight. Now he was back in force. This was his life. The challenge to fight, the thrill of trying to beat someone, and the fear to be beaten. But then he heard someone shouting behind him. Immediately he dropped in the sand and felt someone jumping over him. And out of the bush another boy joined the two others. He jumped to his feet and saw three boys facing him. "YAA!" they yelled and together attacked him. He didn't realize Rocky was really trying to hit him, so after a few easy blocks suddenly Rocky jumped high and kicked his chest. He fell to the ground. Boy, he was strong! He immediately jumped to his feet and saw Rocky getting nearer. He blocked the punch and pulled Rocky over his shoulder in the sand. The two others saw their brother fall and came to help. Colt didn't even tried to kick. He took hold of his wrist and tried to take him in a grip. Thomas didn't move but instead took the opportunity to grip the youngest boy and threw him against his brother. Both boys tumbled and fell. Although he had easily taken them out, he felt that these three boys were good. He turned around and faced Rocky who pointed a large bow at him. Rocky swirled it, ran forward and tried to stab him but the boy turned sideways and disarmed him by pulling the stick so Rocky had to let go. Now he had to block the boy's attack with his bare hands. The boy came closer and closer and suddenly swayed around and aimed the stick at Rocky's head. Rocky yelled and closed his eyes. But instead of hitting him the boy tossed away the stick and bowed. He turned his back to Rocky and slowly walked to the cabin. There was Grandpa Mori facing the two others. He obviously was angry with them. Suddenly he felt a warm gush of air and quickly turned around, in time to block Rocky's attacks. He felt Rocky was angry with him for not continuing the fight. But this was not a ninja-way to fight. He heard Grandpa Mori tell Rocky to stop but Rocky was too mad to listen. Suddenly Thomas took hold of his foot and smacked him onto the ground.  
  
"Now we're even." he said.  
  
Uneasily Rocky stood up and joined his two brothers, sitting on the porch. None of them looked at the boy. Grandpa Mori started to talk.  
  
"I'm very disappointed in you three. Without even knowing who this is, you attack someone coming to this house. If you knew you were fighting with, none of you would have done this."  
  
The three boys looked surprised and fumbled. "What?"  
  
"Who is this?"  
  
"I'm sorry Grandpa, how could we know?"  
  
"Who…? Who are you?" asked Colt, taking of his blue bandana.  
  
The boy laughed and said: "My name's Thomas. And my ninja-name is Nick, for your information. But it's not so strange you three don't even recognise me. After all, Rocky was only three when I had to leave the house and came to live with Grandpa. And when you guys came on holiday here, I had left again. But however, you do have a picture of me."  
  
Rocky, Colt and Tum Tum watched him in amaze and slowly started to talk.  
  
"I don't remember you."  
  
"What's your name? Your real name?"  
  
"I know that picture…" Rocky suddenly said. His two brothers looked at him in amaze.  
  
"You what?? Where is it??"  
  
"It's in our hallway."  
  
"Is it the one in black-white at Mom's birthday?" asked Colt. His voice trembled, but so did the voice of the boy when he said:  
  
"Yea, that's the picture I meant. If you're home, you should take a good look at it. And look carefully at the tree. Under the tree sits a very little boy with an angry face. He has just heard he has to go live with Grandpa."  
  
Grandpa smiled. He remembered that day as it was yesterday.  
  
"Well, that little guy is me. And the mother he's very angry with, is also your mother. And the grandfather he went to live with, you three know very well."  
  
He laughed uneasily.  
  
"I'm your brother."  
  
He slowly stepped forward and joined the boys on the porch. He put his arm around Rocky who almost started to cry when he looked at him. Colt buried his head on his shoulder and Tum Tum sat in front of Colt and leaned against his leg. Grandpa Mori slowly walked into the house and left the four boys alone outside. Finally reunited.  
  
  
  
Okay so I already wrote a new chapter. But do please review. I don't know if I'm doing a good job or just screwin it up. I've the whole story in my mind. It's up to you if it gets written or not… river4rain@australia.edu for personal comments ( 


	3. Nick's story Nick Thomas' ninjaname

"Goodnight boys."  
  
"Goodnight Grandpa!"  
  
Grandpa Mori turned off the light and went back to his bedroom.  
  
Nick sighed and lay on his back watching the stars through the window in the roof. For many years he had laid here each night alone, watching the sky. Dreaming of his true family. Of his brothers. And now his dream had come true. Only, he did not know how to keep it real.  
  
Rocky, who was lying next to him suddenly turned around and faced him.  
  
"Now, are you gonna tell us the truth?"  
  
Immediately the others also faced Nick. He started to laugh.  
  
"Allright allright. Don't push me."  
  
He sat up and leaned his back against the wall. Rocky came to sit next to him on his left side and Colt laid his head in his lap. Tum Tum joined at his feet, still with some jelly beans in his hand. But Nick noticed that the next hour Tum Tum didn't eat any of it.  
  
"When I was eight years old I came to Grandpa for a holiday cause dad had to go to South-America for one of his assignments and mother was pregnant. She couldn't keep me at home cause she went living with a friend of hers, and she allready had two to care for. You two."  
  
He patted Rocky's and Colt's heads.  
  
"Her friend was also able to help if she had to give birth. Grandpa agreed with the idea of my holiday here and so I came to live here. I know you cried when I left the house," he said to Rocky, "you were pulling my trousers and when I drove off with Grandpa the last thing I saw were the tears on your little face."  
  
Nick turned his head to Rocky.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't come back. I guess I've been a pretty lousy brother."  
  
Colt shrugged his head. "No you're not! We didn't even know you were still alive. Mom had told us you were very far away and that we would probably never see you again. She never talked about you. All your pictures are taken out of the photobooks. We never came across something of your belongings. We forgot about you." He whispered and Nick patted his hair.  
  
Tum Tum grinned. "Guess Mom was wrong."  
  
"Anyway, so I came to live here, and I really had a great time. Off course I missed you guys a lot in the beginning but Grandpa filled most of the gaps. After a week or two Grandpa started to tell me about ninjas. Off course I'd heard about them but I'd never thought Grandpa was one of them. And that summer my training began."  
  
Nick sighed and shook up his blanket.  
  
"At the end of my holiday, when I was supposed to go back, the ritual for my ninjaname had to take place. And that night my whole life changed."  
  
The three boys suddenly were wide awake. Each of them remembered being given there own ninja-name. Rocky for strength, Colt for vivacity and Tum Tum for energy. But their ceremonies had been in broad daylight. They all wondered what could have been so strange about their brother's.  
  
"It was a dark warm night. Grandpa lighted a fire under the large chestnut tree. You know, where the dummy with the burning eyes is."  
  
The boys hummed. They knew.  
  
"So. Grandpa had been saying Japanese verses for quite some time and suddenly i saw lightning coming up. I was really scared but the fact that Grandpa was there kept me from running away. Grandpa started to talk louder and louder and it sounded very weird, like some kind of chant. Suddenly the lightning hit our campfire and i felt a burning pain on my forehead. I shouted and I cried because it hurt like hell. But Grandpa was angry with me and forced me to take my hands of. With his fingertips he salved the burn and the pain took off."  
  
Nick clenched his hand to his forehead as if he felt the pain again.  
  
"And when I saw myself the next day in the mirror, I saw I had a five- angled star on my forehead, like a strange-formed scar. Though it's faded through years, I still have it."  
  
He pushed his spiky blonde hair back and showed it to the others. The all stared at him with amazement.  
  
"It was also the next day Grandpa told me my new name. I was no longer Thomas Douglas, but from then on, I would be known as Nick. From the Greek "niké".  
  
"Victory." Rocky whispered.  
  
"And I asked Grandpa lots of stuff about the ceremony. At that time I thought it was pretty cool. But I noticed Grandpa was worried. And after a few days he told me everything."  
  
Not a sound could be heard. The boys didn't dare to move, afraid of missing a part of the story.  
  
"Once, in China, a long long time ago, the woman of the Ninja who reigned the country gave birth to a twin. A boy and a girl. Although people feared this would cause problems later on, both children were raised. Often, one of them was killed," he explained to his brothers.  
  
"but not this time. They raised both. And when they had reached eighteen, they started to reign the country. They were such good rulers and fighters the people demanded that there should be a spell spoken so they would live on forever. But the twins didn't agree. Instead they demanded for a spell, so that, if they should die, their powers would be given to other children somewhere in the world who would always be there to resolve problems and to fight evil.  
  
And that particular night I got my name, the twenty-fifth ruler died and passed on his powers to me. And that same night, the female ruler did so to. Somewhere in the world lives a girl with equal powers."  
  
He stared at the opposite wall but he didn't notice. It was like he saw through it.  
  
"From then on I lived very happily. Grandpa helped me to develop my powers. But i felt different. I knew I had to do more. I don't remember anymore how he got it done, but Grandpa got mother to let me live with him for the rest of his life. I guess he told her everything about it. But after some years things started to change. At that time I had become thirteen. It was the first summer you were to arrive. I was so looking forward to seeing you again, all day long I kept asking Grandpa to tell me things about you. How old you were, what you liked to do, if mother had told you about me and things like that.  
  
But it never came to our reunion. Three days before you were to arrive, three days before my thirteenth birthday we got a visit from a man who called himself the Black Dragon. I immediately didn't like him. But he did us a great offer. He offered Grandpa to complete my training. At that time I fully realised that when I turned thirteen my job would be to help others in the world. I thought that man could help me to develop myself better than Grandpa would ever be able to. Boy was I wrong…"  
  
He grinned cynically.  
  
"It was only when I had gone with him I realised this man was nothing but a thief, who had been a great ninja but now had left the correct path and used his skills to steal. And he trained other ninjas too. And he wanted me to take part in his thefts."  
  
"But why didn't you run off? I mean, you were a ninja! I'm sure you could have beaten that jerk!" Colt said.  
  
Nick sighed. "I tried to. I really did. We were on "an assignment", that's what he called it, when I tried to escape. I knocked out several of his men and was about to take him out when he suddenly spoke to me in a strange dry voice. And he showed me a picture. It was a picture of you."  
  
"Us??" Rocky yelled. "Did he show you a picture of us??"  
  
"Yes he did. It was a picture of you getting your ninja training from Grandpa. The photographer had been hiding in the bush, I could see. Though it wasn't a very clear picture, I could see it was you.  
  
"So, if you try anything on me, I know three little kids whose life will not be much longer then." He said to me and that day was the last day I tried something."  
  
His voice raised a bit when he thought back of that day. The first time he saw his brothers on a picture. But that picture was held by a man he hated more than anything on earth.  
  
"But I'll tell you from the beginning. The day he took me with him, he gave me a book to read. It was a very old book, with dark yellow crumbled pages. It was written in Chinese. But someone had written the English words next to it, so I could read. It was the history of the twin rulers in China. In the end I discovered a blank page where someone had written about fifty names. And I was astonished when I saw that my name was the last one in the list. How did he know? No-one was supposed to know!  
  
But as soon as this guy knew that I had figured him out, my real training started. He learned me to use my powers. I had the powers of the four dragons in my reach, but didn't know how to use them.  
  
At first, he learnt me to use the Red Dragon power. Or the power of fire. I had to blow up small things like boxes but later on he learnt me how to demolish entire buildings by sending spirals of fire. I didn't know what to do. At the same time I felt humiliated I had to use this powers for bad purposes, but also I felt powerful.  
  
Then he learnt me to use the power of water, or the Blue Dragon. We went to the Atlantic and I had to push back the ocean as far as I could. We had to go at night, and I spent almost an entire month in the dark at the beach, with stretched arms and blinded by the wind and my tears. No-one but me and him. And I learnt how to control the see, how to sent a deluge, how to raise typhoons and how to make it rain.  
  
But that was nothing compared to the day I learnt the White Dragon. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and there were no clouds. "Make them come." He said. I didn't know what to do. So I raised my hands and like I had to call the power of the fire I called the power of the wind. But there was no reaction. Nothing changed. "You'll not move until you have defeated the White Dragon." He said. And after two days with no food and only water from rain, I was proud to show him the rain outside, how a single click of my fingers made the lightning burn and the thunder roll."  
  
Nick shut his eyes and almost started to cry.  
  
"But the worse was yet to come. The last and most ferocious Dragon I still had to win. But the Black Dragon could not be defeated. The Power of the Earth I was never going to have. I was sure of that. But this guy has his methods to get what he wants. So I really really tried. I tried very hard. I spent months trying to control the Earth, but whatever I did, it didn't matter. I couldn't make that power mine.  
  
And when I told him one day, he went crazy with anger. He shouted at my and slapped me in the face. He told me that the other three Dragons were nothing if you compared them to the Black Dragon. I said I didn't care. I was about to give up my life. I told him that I was gonna let my powers go, that I would release the Dragons which were locked up inside me. But the minute I had said that, I suddenly understood everything. He was only a thief because he liked to steal. His main goal was to have the power over the four Dragons. And the only way to get them, was through me or through the girl. It didn't take me half a minute to understand and when I looked back at his face I saw he had figured me out. I tried to evoke the power of the White Dragon so I could make a strong typhoon blow everything away and save me, but it was too late. I felt nothing. I didn't have my powers anymore. The same day I acquired them, that same day I lost them.  
  
He started to laugh. He didn't say a word. The only thing he did was laughing and obeying someone to take me away. I couldn't do a thing. I was ashamed, humiliated and I would rather have died there than face someone ever again.  
  
They threw me on the street with nothing than a bag with some clothes. I lay crying on the street, and people passing my by ignored me. I dragged myself to the woods. After i spent a few days there, I cleared everything up for me. I was no longer involved, the only thing for me to do was to complete my task as rightful ninja, to help people in need. And that's what I've been doing since the day I left for Australia.  
  
I phoned Grandpa from the airport and told him everything. He really tried to make me come over, but I didn't. But when I phoned him about two weeks ago, he told me about you. And that's the day when I decided to come back."  
  
He became silent.  
  
The three boys started to mumble, but they were too amazed to talk.  
  
"But…what…"  
  
"Ain't you gonna…"  
  
"The only thing I'm worried about now and then is that he's still after the power of the Black Dragon. The only way he can get it now is through the girl which has the same powers as I have. Had." He corrected himself.  
  
"And i feel I have to help her. I don't know how. But if there was only one thing in life i could do, it would be to help her to get her rightful powers. The Black Dragon still flies around somewhere, unleashed. And there is only one rightful owner."  
  
"That's not true! There are two." Said Rocky.  
  
"Yeah! And we'll help you to get your powers back!" Tum Tum said  
  
"Damn right!" Colt concluded.  
  
Nick laughed.  
  
"You will?"  
  
"Yea we will!" The three shouted. 


	4. First day of training

The next morning, as usual Rocky was the first to get out of bed. He pushed Colt who was immediately awake. Together they woke Tum Tum by slowly pulling of his blanket. Tum Tum, half-awake, tried to grab his blanket but when he realised it was gone he was suddenly wide awake.  
  
"Good morning Tum! Colt yelled, when he ran of the stairs behind Rocky. Suddenly Rocky stopped in the middle of the stairs and Colt bumped into him.  
  
"Aw! Watch where you're going!" Rocky ignored him.  
  
"Where's Nick?"  
  
They realised their brother hadn't been there when they woke up. They looked around. Slowly they walked into the living room. Tum Tum followed closely behind them. Rocky put a finger on his mouth, then he carefully sneaked to the backdoor. He slowly raised his head to see. He grinned.  
  
"He's outside. He's probably waiting for us, like Grandpa each morning." Rocky whispered.  
  
"So, let's get outside! We'll teach him who's the best!" Colt laughed.  
  
"Yea! Let's kick butts" Tum Tum said.  
  
"Hold it guys! We have to think of a plan!" Rocky said.  
  
"Rock, where is he?"  
  
"Next to Grandpa's bench. He's holding a wooden box or something like that."  
  
"Easy! Let's…"  
  
Colt lowered his voice. They joined heads and after a minute they al started to laugh.  
  
"All right! That's a plan and a half!"  
  
Slowly the back door crept open. Rocky came outside and covered his eyes with his hand, like he came right out of bed.  
  
"Morning Grandpa." He said when he caught the bow with one hand while he made with the other a kick move towards Grandpa's stomach.  
  
"Morning Rocky." he laughed.  
  
Rocky went on, pretending he hadn't seen his brother who was hiding behind the bench with the flowers. He walked past the porch when suddenly he saw something flickering where Nick was. But Nick couldn't attack him now! He was way too far! But when he thought that, he suddenly felt something pull at his shoulder. It felt like his shirt had got stuck to the wall.  
  
"Damned!" He tried to pull it, but suddenly he saw the thing that held it to the wooden wall. It was a shiny black star. His mouth fell open in surprise.  
  
Meanwhile Colt had come outside through the front door. He turned left and ran around Grandpa's cabin. He crept under some bushes so Grandpa would not see him.  
  
"You can wait all you want Grandpa." Colt grinned. He proceeded and reached the large tree. Now he could see the back of Nick who suddenly came out of his hiding place and made a movement towards Rocky. Colt couldn't see why.  
  
"Good morning Grandpa." Tum Tum said when he looked out of the window behind Grandpa, in each hand holding a box of cereals.  
  
"Good morning Tum Tum." Grandpa said. Then he turned to the window "Tum Tum??"  
  
But he didn't see anything. He raised his eyes to heaven and sighed.  
  
"I wonder what they are up to now."  
  
"Where is he waiting for?" Colt whispered when he still didn't see a move of Rocky. Rocky was supposed to challenge Nick, and then Colt would attack him from behind. Tum Tum would then come out of the house and help them.  
  
"But that won't be necessary" Colt had said. "We'll have taken him out by the time you get out of the door."  
  
Rocky had managed to pull the star out of his sleeve and free himself from the wall. He slowly walked towards the benches. Suddenly he saw Colt behind the tree, coming to the attack.  
  
"Colt, no! Don't!" Rocky tried to warn him but it was too late. Colt ran towards Nick, who had turned around when he heard Rocky shout. He grinned.  
  
Fast as wind Colt approached him and made a high-kick. Nick blocked the kick with one hand while the other searched something in his belt. Suddenly he pushed Colt towards the bench and swayed his arm. Colt saw something flicker and yelled. Suddenly he felt how something pulled him by his shirt and nailed him to the bench.  
  
Nick turned around quickly and threw a star towards Tum Tum who came to help, as in the plan. One star hit the box of cereals which flew out of Tum Tums hand. The other cut the wire of a hanging plant. It fell on the ground and Tum Tum tripped over it.  
  
Nick laughed when he saw the three boys in their difficult situations.  
  
"Nice try guys! I'm sorry to do this to do you, but so now you know what your training is gonna be like!"  
  
"Are you gonna train us??" Rocky asked?  
  
"Yea of course. You think I'm gonna let you fight with me if you haven't completed your training? Actually that was the first thing I came for. To teach you how to use this." He showed them one of the black stars. "Grandpa doesn't want to weir glasses, so he can't throw these anymore. That's why he asked me." He laughed.  
  
"I heard that." Grandpa came near.  
  
"But what Nick says is right boys. If you're going to combat, you need to know everything. I have taught you everything I know. But I want you to be the best you can be when you will fight like a true ninja."  
  
"You mean you're gonna let us?" Colt asked.  
  
"I have no other choice, have I?" Grandpa smiled.  
  
"Wow thanks Grandpa!" Rocky said.  
  
"Yea, we will kick their butts" Tum Tum added!  
  
"I'm sure you will Tum Tum." Grandpa said. "But before you all leave this place, I want you to succeed in our ultimate test Nick and I will subject you to. And that means the next two days you're gonna train the hardest you can."  
  
The tree boys nodded.  
  
"It's up to you Nick."  
  
  
  
"The first thing you have to know about the sirtaken, is when to use them." Nick said, when they were all seated in the grass at the training spot.  
  
"A ninja is never allowed to use the sirtaken when your enemy is so near to you, you could fight him with your hands. They are only made to throw, not to stab. Got that?"  
  
They all nodded.  
  
"Now there are several things you could do when throwing them. Either you could try to hit your enemy, either you try to cut or make trip something that can help you to defeat your enemy. You all saw this morning. Got that?"  
  
They all nodded again.  
  
"Okay, that's the basic part."  
  
"That's it?" Colt asked in surprise.  
  
"Yea Colt, that's it." Nick said.  
  
"Okay, so now can we throw?" Colt jumped to his feet.  
  
"No Colt not yet. I haven't even shown it to you."  
  
"It can't be that hard." Colt murmured when he sat down.  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"Doesn't matter."  
  
"Either way, I heard you. Get up."  
  
Colt stood up.  
  
"Take this and try to hit the tree there in front of you."  
  
Colt took the shiny sirtaken from his hand and weighed in his palm. He felt at the angles. He took the star by one of the angles and threw it towards the tree. Though the tree was only a few metres away, Colt missed it. The sirtaken made a sudden turn, flew high and missed the tree.  
  
Colt turned red when he saw he had missed.  
  
"You missed…" Tum Tum started but immediately became silent when he saw Nick's eyes.  
  
"Wanna be next?"  
  
He turned back to Colt  
  
"Okay Colt, you can sit down."  
  
Colt sat down next to Rocky who shot him an angry look.  
  
"The next part," Nick proceeded, like nothing had happened, "is the throw. It might seem easy, but for those between you already have had the opportunity to try, it might be clear it certainly is not.  
  
In the test you will be asked to do three things. One, hit the bull's eye. Two, you will have to be in constant movement and, when the sign is given, throw the sirtaken and hit the bull's eye. And three, you will have to hit a moving object.  
  
But first, let's see how to throw them. You can get up now."  
  
  
  
"Very good Rock" he said when he saw Rocky throwing the sirtaken while making a high jump. The sirtaken swirled around and pinned itself into the tree.  
  
Rocky looked proud and shot a look at his brothers. Colt was turning around very fast and suddenly stood still and threw the sirtaken. It cut a branch of the tree which fell to the ground, only half a metre in front of Nick. Colt hurried to him to apologise, but when he saw Nick's face his mood changed. Nick looked very angry.  
  
"If you do that just one more time…" he started but suddenly started to laugh. "Colt don't worry! That was great! If you continue like that you will pass easily!"  
  
He saw him shot a look at Rocky who turned away. Suddenly he remembered.  
  
"Oh by the way Colt, don't forget to bring me back the sirtaken you used this morning?" He grinned.  
  
The sun started to lower and their shadows became longer on the grass. They had been training almost whole day now.  
  
"Okay guys cut it. That's enough for today." Nick said  
  
He started to gather things. His brothers joined him.  
  
"Why don't we show you what've learnt today?" Rocky asked.  
  
"Yea, why not?" Tum Tum asked.  
  
"Yea indeed, why not," Nick said, "after all tomorrow we're gonna train something else.  
  
"Okay, show me what you've learnt."  
  
Rocky, Colt and Tum Tum joined and faced the tree with the painted bull's eye. Rocky slowly focused on the red dot in the middle and threw. The sirtaken swirled, flew and pinned dead on target. Two seconds later Colt's sirtaken hit the red paint and almost together with it the third one pinned right next to it.  
  
"What can I say? Perfect." Nick said. He pulled the three sirtakens out of the tree.  
  
The boys laughed.  
  
"Okay, next one!" Rocky said. He walked a few steps backwards.  
  
"Ready?" Nick asked.  
  
Rocky nodded.  
  
"When you're ready." Nick said.  
  
Rocky took a deep breath and made two back flips. He started to fight an imagined enemy. Suddenly when he made a high kick, he fell to the ground on his back. He heard Nick shout and didn't waste a moment. He grabbed the sirtaken out of his belt, jumped to his feet and in one movement threw the sirtaken to the tree. It was like the extension of his arm. The sirtaken made a turn and pinned into the tree.  
  
"Yes!" Rocky clapped his hands. "Okay Colt, you're up!"  
  
Colt, who had seen the perfect throw of his brother started to feel unsure. But he pushed away the feeling and like his brother made a few steps backward. He closed his eyes and said:  
  
"Ready."  
  
He started to turn around like he did when he was training. He turned faster and faster and was in perfect balance. He made a kick, stepped back and made a backflip. The sirtaken flew out of his hand and pinned dead on target, two seconds after Nick had said: "Now."  
  
"Very good Colt. I'm impressed." Rocky said.  
  
Colt laughed shyly. He wasn't used to compliments from his brother.  
  
"Come on Tum! You can do it!" he said while he patted his shoulder.  
  
"Okay Tum Tum! You know, when you're ready!" Nick said.  
  
Tum Tum faced the tree. The red dot looked like a jelly bean to him. He started imagining the sirtaken as his hand which tried to catch the candy. He turned his back to the tree and started to fight an imagined enemy. Suddenly he heard the signal, turned around, drew the sirtaken and threw it towards the tree. He didn't have a chance to aim. But a second later the sirtaken pinned right in the middle of the red dot.  
  
"Awesome!" Tum Tum whispered and put his candy bar back into his mouth.  
  
Nick pulled out the sirtaken and put it carefully in the box, while his brothers joined him.  
  
"I'm not sure what words to use. I'm thinking in terms of great, grand, awesome, perfect,…" Nick laughed.  
  
"So, now the last test!" Colt said and started to run back.  
  
"Let's save that for the real Test, shall we? I'm sure you'll manage just fine."  
  
"Fine." Rocky said before Colt could react.  
  
"As a matter of fact you still have to look for that sirtaken, don't you Colt?" Tum Tum asked.  
  
"Shut up spaz!" Colt said. "Mind your own business."  
  
"Guys don't fight! We'll look together." Rocky said.  
  
Nick sat on the bench when he saw his three brothers starting to look around in the direction Colt had thrown the sirtaken. He was very proud of them. Rocky, who knew no better he was the oldest, was always there to solve fights. A cool responsible fighter, very self-confident. And when he thought of Colt he smiled. Colt, who was always the eager one to try everything, and who could be in fact very unsure about himself, really trained hard. He was eager to learn, and he will always be the one who knows the stuff best. And Tum Tum, well, his candy must be an unstoppable source of energy. His very down-to-earth way of thinking and acting made the youngest of the three the most energetic part of them. He'll never give up, Nick thought.  
  
Today they had proven to be worth it.  
  
Grandpa came to sit next to Nick.  
  
"How did they do?"  
  
"Fine. In fact, they did great."  
  
"And how did you do?"  
  
Nick became silent for a moment.  
  
"If I knew I had such wonderful brothers, I would have never left. Parish could go to hell."  
  
"Don't talk about him anymore."  
  
"I won't. So, how did your day go?" Nick asked, eager to change subject.  
  
"Very good. I watered my orchids and cut some of my bonsais. Valuable time." He smiled.  
  
"You know Nick, whatever they do, they will always reach what they want." He said, when he saw the three boys coming out of the bush, Colt holding a flickering star.  
  
"Reminds me of you." Grandpa added and slowly walked back to the cabin. 


	5. A gift and second day of training

The next morning, when they woke up, the three boys found at the end of their bed each a wrapped little box. Rocky, who woke up first, took the little box in his hand and shook it carefully. He didn't feel anything move. Next to him was Nick, still fast asleep, and on the other side was Colt, who had just opened his eyes.  
  
"Colt, look." Rocky said and showed him the box.  
  
"Do I have one too?" Colt asked eagerly.  
  
"Get up and see for yourself. Of course you have one." He added when he saw the look on Colt's face. He got up, took Colt's box and gave it to him. Both boys sat up straight with the boxes in their hands.  
  
"What have you guys got?" Tum Tum asked in a sleepy voice.  
  
"Candy Tum, a box full of it." Colt said jokingly.  
  
Immediately Tum Tum was clear awake and searched for his own.  
  
At last the three boys were all awake and ready to open the boxes.  
  
"Shall we open it?" Tum Tum asked.  
  
"No bozo, we're gonna wait till tomorrow. Of course we're gonna open it!" Colt said and started tearing the paper the box was wrapped in. He removed the paper and held a small wooden box in his hand. His name was on it. His brothers hadn't moved. Slowly he opened the box and saw three sirtakens lying on black tissue.  
  
"Awesome!!" he said. He showed it to the others. Immediately they started unwrapping their own presents and found their own boxes. In each of them were three shiny black sirtakens.  
  
Rocky slowly took one out and held it in his palm. He felt the cool metal in his hand and felt the power in his arm. Suddenly he saw a piece of paper next to his bed. He reached down and got it. It was a fast scribbled letter. He read out aloud:  
  
"This is from me to three great ninjas. This is from me to my brothers. I hope you like it and will use them how they should be used. Nick"  
  
"Guys, we should thank him." He whispered. He nodded towards Nick who was still asleep.  
  
They couldn't almost hold their laughter when they searched for their pillows. Rocky quietly counted:  
  
"Three, two, one!"  
  
Yelling and laughing they started to throw the pillows and wake up Nick, who was suddenly wide awake and tried to cover himself from the pillows."  
  
"What? What's wrong?? Please help me!" he shouted, but they didn't stop. Suddenly he took his own pillow and started to fight back. They were all laughing and couldn't hold a pillow properly anymore.  
  
"So, I guess you don't like them?" Nick said jokingly.  
  
"Oh we do!!" Colt yelled.  
  
"No, seriously, you're happy?"  
  
"Of course we are." Rocky said.  
  
The others nodded.  
  
"It's great!" Tum Tum said  
  
"I hope you'll put them to good use."  
  
"Sure we will!" Colt added. "By the way, thanks."  
  
"Don't mention it…" Nick said laughing. "So you think you three could let me have some more sleep?" He added. "I sure hope you've slept enough. If you thought yesterday was rough, better wait for today."  
  
The others laughed.  
  
"Okay, let's get out of bed! That's a good thing to start with."  
  
A few minutes later they were all at the breakfast table.  
  
"So, what are you gonna teach us today?" Rocky asked.  
  
"Me? I ain't gonna teach you anything. Today you three are gonna prove a ninja has self discipline."  
  
"You mean, we've gotta train on ourselves?" Colt asked.  
  
"Yea." Nick nodded. "Grandpa and I are going to prepare tomorrow test, and this is a good opportunity to check for yourselves if you will be able to succeed."  
  
"I think you boys will manage just fine." Grandpa added when he saw the worried look on Rocky's face. Colt looked very eager to start and Tum Tum was listening while taking another bowl of cereals.  
  
Grandpa and Nick stood up.  
  
"Good luck." Nick said when they walked out of the backdoor.  
  
The door shut and the three boys were left behind at the table.  
  
"Guess we get started." Rocky said.  
  
"You're coming?" Colt asked, who was already at the door; waiting to begin.  
  
"Colt, wait. You have to be prepared. Let's get upstairs and take our stuff." Colt sighed but followed his two brothers on the stairs.  
  
A few minutes they were all down again, properly dressed. Rocky was wearing green, Colt blue and Tum Tum red. They each wore a bandana in the same colour. They all took a large bow out of the coffin and were ready to start training. 


	6. Further training and the Test

When they reached the training spot, they found a piece of white paper pinned on the tree. "Do not train here. Proceed into the woods" was written on it.  
  
"I suppose we do so." Rocky said and they continued to walk, into the woods.  
  
"Do you think we're still on the right path Rock?" Colt asked.  
  
"I don't know." Rocky said a bit nervous. "Look! There's Grandpa!" he suddenly shouted when he saw Grandpa coming out of the bush and taking the same path as they were, but running away from them.  
  
"Let's follow him!" Rocky said and the three boys started to run. They saw how Grandpa suddenly jumped high and flew several metres through the air.  
  
"Tum Tum! Colt! Jump!!" Rocky yelled when he saw the dark patch of ground in front of them. It was too late too stop. The three boys ran all they could and jumped over the dark spot. They landed on the other side and carefully looked around. Grandpa was nowhere in sight.  
  
"Look, it's a trap!" Colt said who touched the patch with his bow. It gave in and when Colt pushed harder he suddenly stuck his bow through the cover.  
  
"Guys you know what?? The test is today!" Rocky whispered.  
  
Colt and Tum Tum looked at him.  
  
"Don't you see? They've told us over and over the test is tomorrow. But a ninja has to be prepared every time. Luckily we didn't start our training without our equipment."  
  
Colt blushed when he thought back of the morning, where he was the one who was eager to start and almost had ran out of the house without even be properly dressed.  
  
"Good thinking Rock." Colt said. "So what are we gonna do now?"  
  
"I suppose we follow this path. It'll lead to something, won't it?"  
  
The two others agreed and slowly they started to walk on, on their guard for other possible traps. After few hundred metres they found a white envelope on the path. Rocky opened it.  
  
"Here you have to go right. Simply proceed to the woods until you have reached the red lantern. Those between you who reach the lantern will have passed the test. Good luck."  
  
Rocky closed the letter. They didn't say anything.  
  
"Hey guys let's make a deal. Or we all three get to the lantern, or we all three don't." Colt said.  
  
"Alright!" Rocky immediately said.  
  
"Yea!" Tum Tum concluded.  
  
Colt put his hand in mid-air. Rocky and Tum Tum joined.  
  
"Let's… go!" they shouted.  
  
  
  
Slowly they went further into the woods. They walked for half an hour and they started to loose concentration. Suddenly Colt tripped over a dead branch and fell on the ground. He started to get up but he suddenly froze.  
  
"Hold it guys." In front of his face he discovered a thin brown wire, about ten centimetres above the ground. Rocky and Tum Tum froze.  
  
"What's it Colt?"  
  
Colt got up and showed them the wire. The one end was attached to a tree and about a hundred metres further it was attached in a bush. They slowly followed the wire and saw the tiny bell in the bush.  
  
"Guys, I've got an idea." Rocky's eyes blinked.  
  
Only about three hundred metres ahead of them, Nick stood behind a tree. He waited. Suddenly he heard the bell. He grinned. A pity they fell for it. He came out of his hiding place and ran to the clearing in the woods. He saw Tum Tum who had obviously tripped over it, getting up. Suddenly Tum Tum saw him approach. He smiled. Nick realised there was something wrong but it was too late. He noticed the wire was gone, but at that moment Tum Tum yelled:  
  
"Now!"  
  
Rocky and Colt pulled at both ends of the wire and Nick tripped and fell to the ground. He smacked in the sand. When he got up the three boys were gone. He was really angry with himself. But at the same time he felt proud. He cleaned his clothes the best he could and then started to slowly walk back to the lantern.  
  
Rocky, Colt and Tum Tum approached a dry riverbed. There was only a dead tree lying across the bed, and slowly Rocky started to cross. Colt and Tum Tum watched his back. Suddenly they heard the bushes move in front of Rocky and saw Grandpa coming out and attacking Rocky. Grandpa pointed his bow at Rocky who luckily still had his. The two bows hit each other. Rocky had a hard time blocking Grandpa's attacks. Suddenly he jumped and felt Grandpa's bow miss his feet. He came back to his feet and felt one foot slide of the tree. Grandpa, who thought Rocky was defeated rested his bow on the ground. But suddenly Rocky let his feet slide of the other side of the tree to regain his balance. With one single swing he kicked Grandpa's bow out of his hands and with another he hit Grandpa in his stomach. He fell of the tree.  
  
"Grandpa?? You're okay?" Rocky asked worried.  
  
"Rock! Just go on! It's for real, remember?" Colt said while he pushed his brother forward. The tree boys ran across the riverbed and ran into the woods ahead of them.  
  
Nick sat under a tree. Above his head a red lantern swayed softly in the wind. Suddenly he heard something in the bushes next to him. He got up and saw Grandpa coming out.  
  
"So how did they do?" Nick asked.  
  
"Very good." Grandpa said and rubbed his stomach. "And how did the wire trap do?"  
  
"Wonderful." Nick said ironically and felt a his ankle.  
  
"I suggest we wait here for the boys." Grandpa said when he sat down on a soft spot under a tree. Nick nodded and sat down too.  
  
  
  
Colt climbed down the tree.  
  
"I see something red ahead of us, but i don't know for sure if it's the lantern or not."  
  
"I suppose so. Anyway, we don't have a choice." Rocky said.  
  
Almost half an hour had passed, and they hadn't seen a single trap. It was like they were alone in the woods. They walked on.  
  
"I you ask me, we should be very near now." Rocky said but the moment he said it he heard Colt and Tum Tum yell behind him. Grandpa and Nick ran out of the bushes, didn't waste a moment and attacked them.  
  
Colt easily blocked Nick's kicks with his bow but suddenly Nick disarmed him. Their arms hit several times. Colt blocked and Nick attacked and then roles reversed, Nick attacked and Colt blocked. Suddenly they both had the other in a hold. Colt put his feet on Nicks chest and pushed. They both fell on their back and immediately jumped back to their feet. They faced each other. Colt wore a brutal grin.  
  
Meanwhile Grandpa had fought Tum Tum, pushed him to the ground and put him in a hold. Tum Tum felt the pain in his arm but didn't give in. He suddenly arched his back and threw Grandpa on the ground. "Yaa!" he shouted and attacked him.  
  
Now Nick had to defend himself against two ferocious fighters. He had to block both boys' attacks. Suddenly he made a backflip, pulled a sirtaken out of his belt and threw it to Rocky. Rocky, who still had his bow swung it through the air and hit the sirtaken. Nick looked very confused. But he didn't had time to think. With very fast kicks Colt drove Nick with his back to a tree. Colted turned around and kicked towards his head. But Nick lowered himself and suddenly put Colt in a hold. Colt shut his eyes and felt the pain in his arm going to his shoulder. He didn't dare to move.  
  
Rocky and Tum Tum both attacked Grandpa. Tum Tum kicked Grandpa in his stomach, Rocky turned around and aimed his high kick at Grandpa's head, but he had made a sideways roll. From the corner of his eye Rocky saw Colt's critical situation. He didn't waste a moment, drew a sirtaken, aimed and threw it towards Nick. The sirtaken flew, missed Colt and pinned Nicks cap to the tree. Nick was frightened to death and let go of him. Colt turned around, aimed at Nicks stomach and kicked him five times. Nick didn't have time to block and fell to the ground.  
  
"Sorry." Colt said and ran to his brothers.  
  
Meanwhile Rocky and Tum Tum had defeated Grandpa. Tum Tum had put his bow on Grandpa's throat.  
  
"Don't dare to move." He threatened. Grandpa smiled.  
  
"Colt, you're okay??" Rocky asked.  
  
"Yea I am! Come on, let's go!"  
  
The two others suddenly realised. The red lantern! Tum Tum threw his bow on the ground.  
  
"Hey guys, wait up for me!" He yelled and followed his two brothers.  
  
Only a hundred metres further, they saw the red lantern hanging in the tree. About six metres high.  
  
"Throw!" Rocky yelled.  
  
While running they each drew a sirtaken, aimed and threw. The three shiny stars flew through the sky and pinned high into the tree. The wire broke and the lantern fell. Rocky reached the tree and caught the lantern in both hands.  
  
"We did it guys!" They all cheered. 


	7. Getting ready

The tree boys started to laugh when they saw Grandpa and Nick enter the cabin.  
  
"So, guess we've passed?" Rocky said jokingly.  
  
"Yea you have." Grandpa said and sat down in the couch. He let a sigh from relief. He lifted his arm and immediately dropped it. It felt sore.  
  
"I'm getting old." He smiled.  
  
"Me too." Nick said laughing when he stroke his stomach, where Colt had hit him.  
  
"So, when are we gonna leave?" Colt asked.  
  
They all started to laugh.  
  
"Colt my dear, do please wait a second, till I've recovered!" Nick said.  
  
"Do you need something?" Rocky asked. Maybe they did have pain.  
  
"That's more like it my boy." Grandpa said. "Get me some hot water to rest my feet…"  
  
"…and then get the hell outta here." Nick said and closed his eyes. "I feel like I wanna sleep five days. You see what you've done to me this morning?" He meant the pillow-fight.  
  
Rocky and Colt flushed. Maybe they had been a bit hard on them.  
  
"Oh stop it. It was your own choice to get beaten!" Tum Tum said.  
  
"Guess you're right." Nick said and laughed. "Okay, if you help me to prepare dinner, i promise tonight I'll tell you the plan."  
  
It seemed like some magic words, cause instantly the three boys were eager to start cooking. Even Colt, who normally hated laying the table started to take plates.  
  
When they had finished dinner, and Rocky, Colt and Tum Tum had done the dishes, which didn't go without the necessary quarrelling, they all gathered round the table.  
  
"Okay, first I have some pictures to show you. I've printed them from the Internet."  
  
He showed them a picture of Clint Parish, a respectful businessman.  
  
"Black Dragon." He said and gave the picture to Rocky. He looked at it and then passed it.  
  
"Some pictures of the building. It's called Parish' Enterprises." Some glossy pictures passed around the table.  
  
"Here are some more pictures of Parish and the usual rank and file." He showed them some pictures, obviously taken for some business magazine.  
  
"And here is, what I believe, the most important thing." He unfolded a large piece of white paper.  
  
"This is a floor plan from the building. I drew it two weeks after I left it, and I think it's quite accurate." When he saw the puzzled look on Rocky's face he said:  
  
"Don't forget I've spent entire months in that building."  
  
He took two markers, a red and a green one.  
  
"Okay. Red is for plan A. Green is for plan B."  
  
He started to talk and draw lines on the floor plan.  
  
The next half-hour they were busy discussing the plan.  
  
"I think we've got it now." Rocky said.  
  
"Good. I mean, very good." Nick said. "Sorry, I'm just worried. Look guys," he was suddenly very serious. "if one of you doesn't want to come, that's fine with me. I understand. I would be very scared too."  
  
"No way!"  
  
"We'll come with you!"  
  
"We're not scared!"  
  
The three boys started to shout. Nick laughed.  
  
"Okay, that's solved then. And now you are going to bed. Tomorrow, before noon we'll check the equipment. We'll leave at three, and check in at seven. We'll have a quiet night and around midnight, we'll get started. I want you to be concentrated so you better go to sleep now. Me and Grandpa will check some things and then I'll come up."  
  
"Goodnight boys." Grandpa said.  
  
"Goodnight." Rocky, Colt and Tum Tum slowly walked up the stairs. "See you tomorrow!" Colt added.  
  
"Bye Colt." Nick raised his eyes.  
  
Colt grinned and walked away. Nick smiled.  
  
"Grandpa do you still have those two McDean elevators?" Nick asked when he came back in the living room.  
  
"Yes I have. In the backroom. Come." They went to the backroom. Grandpa put on the light and looked around.  
  
"They have to be here somewhere. Ah, here!" He whispered and pulled out a shiny metallic box out. The other stood right next to it. They both lifted a box and carried them to the living room.  
  
"Do they still function?" Nick said.  
  
"I think so." Grandpa said.  
  
"There is only one way to find out. I wanna test it tonight."  
  
Grandpa lifted the lid of the box and shone with a torch.  
  
"Looks pretty good to me." Nick said.  
  
"I hope what you are doing." Grandpa whispered.  
  
"I hope so too." Nick added when Grandpa lifted a box and walked outside.  
  
  
  
The next morning Nick opened his eye and immediately closed it because the sun shone right into it. He groaned and turned to the other side. Slowly he realised.  
  
"Rock! What time is it??" he asked nervously when he came down.  
  
"It's… erm half past twelve." Rocky said and put the nunchaka back on the table.  
  
"Half past twelve?? But why didn't you wake me up??"  
  
"We wanted to let you sleep some more. Since you needed it. I'm sorry, did we do…" Rocky started but Nick interrupted him.  
  
"No, you didn't do something wrong. I'm only getting a bit nervous. Sorry. Where are Colt and Tum Tum?"  
  
"They're outside, testing their equipment."  
  
Nick looked surprised, walked to the window and looked outside. He saw Colt and Tum Tum swaying their bows and trying some moves.  
  
"I can't believe…" Nick started. How could this go wrong with such responsible co-fighters?  
  
"Guess I'm the only one who has to check his equipment." He laughed. "Wanna help?"  
  
He opened a box and took out a set of black clothes, five sirtakens, a nunchaka, two sticks, about half a metre long, and a dagger. He saw the look in Rocky's eyes when he took out the dagger.  
  
"Hope I won't be needing this." 


	8. An unwanted visitor

It was about two o'clock when they gathered outside.  
  
"Okay. We are definitely ready. Let's go over the plan again."  
  
Nick unfolded the paper. Then he stopped.  
  
"We can do it without that floor plan." Rocky said.  
  
"We leave at midnight…" Colt started, and they started to tell the plan.  
  
Nick slowly watched and listened carefully. When they were done, he said:  
  
"Very impressive. Grandpa, we are leaving!!" He shouted. His three brothers laughed.  
  
Grandpa, who had been watering his bonsais came nearer.  
  
"Good luck boys!" He hugged them.  
  
"Bye Grandpa! See you in a few days!" They cheered and ran to the car.  
  
"Bye Grandpa. Wish me luck." Nick said.  
  
"Good luck my boy. You can do it. You all can do it." he said and hugged Nick.  
  
Nick smiled and slowly walked back to the car.  
  
"Come on!" Colt, who was in the back next to Tum Tum, yelled.  
  
"I'm coming!" Nick said and jumped into the drivers seat, next to Rocky. He inserted the key and the engine started. He put the car in first gear and slowly drove off. When they reached the road he speed up a little and about five minutes later they were cruising west, to the city.  
  
They drove into the city at half past six.  
  
"I'll show you tonight's playground." He grinned and drove in the direction of the business part of the town. Few minutes later they stopped at a large shiny grey building. Nick wore a cap and sunglasses, in case anybody should notice him. But no-one did. People, on their way home, passed by the parked car with the four boys without even glancing at them.  
  
"You'll get a better view tonight." Nick laughed and put the car in back rear. They drove off to the hotel.  
  
"Wow! Cool place!" Tum Tum said when he pushed Colt in his back so he almost fell through the revolving doors.  
  
"Watch we're you're going!!" Colt said angrily and picked up his bag.  
  
"Watch yourself dork!" Tum Tum said, with a candy bar hanging out of his mouth.  
  
"Guys, behave!" Rocky said and they walked to Nick, who was at the check- in.  
  
"What's your name sir?" the clerk asked.  
  
"Douglas."  
  
"Ah yes. I have here, a room for four people?"  
  
Nick nodded.  
  
"Room 1012." He handed him the key. "Those people will handle your luggage." He pointed.  
  
"No thanks. We'll manage." Nick said.  
  
"As you please."  
  
"Come on guys, let's go to the room."  
  
They picked up their bags and walked to the elevators. Tum Tum was looking at the high ceiling and almost bumped into a man who dropped his keys.  
  
"Oops." Tum Tum said and picked up the keys.  
  
"Give it." The man said icily and grabbed the keys out of his hand. Tum Tum noticed a strange picture on it. The man didn't pay attention to him anymore.  
  
"Tum Tum! Where are you??"  
  
"Coming!" Tum Tum hurried in the direction the others had gone.  
  
Nick opened the door, walked into the room and threw his bag on the bed. Colt, who was last, came in and shut the door.  
  
"Turn the key Colt." Nick said. Colt turned the key twice and then tried the door.  
  
"Locked." He concluded.  
  
"Okay guys listen up. I think it's unnecessary to go over the plan again now. We'll have a rest. Someone will have to wake me up at eleven." He laughed. "But maybe let's get to eat something first."  
  
"Awesome!" Rocky said when he saw what was listed on the menu of the room service.  
  
  
  
It was dark in the room. Cold moonlight shone through the curtains and sharpened figures in the room. Nick listened to the sound of the three boys sleeping. He smiled. He laid back next to Tum Tum and silently dozed off to sleep.  
  
Suddenly he was wide awake when he heard a click next to his ear.  
  
"Don't move." A dry voice said. "You think we're stupid Douglas? You think we didn't expect you?"  
  
Nick recognised that voice. Aran, the dumbest of Parish' two bodyguards.  
  
"Mr. Parish owns this hotel. Not surprisingly the clerk phoned us after you checked in. But I didn't know you were coming as a babysitter."  
  
He laughed dryly but suddenly cried out when Nick pinched his wrist.  
  
"Drop the gun!"  
  
Aran cried out louder in pain and woke up the three boys who didn't know what was going on.  
  
"What's wrong!??"  
  
"Nick!! Where are you??"  
  
Aran suddenly dove under Nicks arm who had got up and got out of the hold. He pointed the gun at Nick but a second later Rocky kicked it out of his held.  
  
"Say hi to Parish from me." Nick grinned, turned around and kicked Aran on the side of this head. He fell to the ground like a brick.  
  
"Nick are you okay?" Rocky said. He flashed on the light.  
  
The four boys shut their eyes from the sudden light.  
  
"I guess our plan starts now." 


	9. The attack

It started to rain slightly when the window opened and four black shadows stepped out. Quickly they walked down the emergency staircase. They reached the ground and immediately dove into the shadows between the trucks. Nick searched for the car.  
  
"No way we're gonna get out of here by car." He whispered through his teeth.  
  
"Follow me." Rocky said. " I know a way out."  
  
They sneaked to the fence and swiftly crawled over it. When they were on the other side Colt asked:  
  
"Now what??"  
  
Rocky didn't answer. He simply pointed across the road.  
  
"Clever thinking Rock." Colt said and all four crossed the road. They crawled against the fence. Suddenly Tum Tum whispered half loud:  
  
"Here."  
  
He pulled at the iron fence and slowly folded back the corner of the fence.  
  
"Very good." Nick said. "There's a car coming. Hurry!"  
  
They sneaked inside. A few seconds later the car passed. In the light of it's front lights you could read the sign: "NO ENTRANCE. PRIVATE AIRPORT."  
  
  
  
"Do you know how to fly that thing?" Rocky asked nervously when he watched the helicopter.  
  
"I have no choice, have I?" Nick asked and started to crawl to the dark machine.  
  
"It's locked." Colt said when he tried the door.  
  
"Of course it is dork." Tum Tum said. "Do you think they would leave their plane here open for thieves?"  
  
"It's a helicopter, pizza-brain!"  
  
"Guys cool down!" Nick said between his teeth. "Don't forget where we are."  
  
He took a small tool out of his pocket and placed it with the magnetic strip next to the door. He pushed a few buttons. Suddenly a little green light flashed and Nick pulled open the door.  
  
"Okay, let's get in."  
  
The three boys sneaked in, Nick followed and shut the door.  
  
"Okay, so far so good." Nick said when he put on the contact. A greenish light lighted up on the instrument panel.  
  
"It can't be that hard. But I suggest you buckle up well." When he said that he took his own seatbelt and fastened it.  
  
"Okay, here we go." He clicked three levers, checked the fuel and pushed a white button.  
  
"They're turning!" Tum Tum yelled.  
  
Indeed, they felt the blades turn faster and faster. Nick slightly lifted the handle and the helicopter started to rise. Suddenly a high pitched voice sounded through the cabin.  
  
"GD18 ILY what are you doing? You are not granted permission to take off!"  
  
Nick grinned and pushed a button. Radio-contact was cut off.  
  
"We don't need her now." Rocky laughed.  
  
Ten minutes later they saw the dark buildings approach. Nick held still in the air.  
  
"I can't put us down now. They'll hear us." He said very nervously.  
  
"Nick, look!" Colt said and showed him a book.  
  
"What's it Colt?" Rocky asked.  
  
"Here in this book…"  
  
"You mean you've got a manual???" Nick asked. "Next time tell me before we take off!"  
  
"Sorry." Colt laughed. "But anyway, you have to push this button…" he said and immediately concluded by pushing a yellow button on the instrument panel. "to make it silent."  
  
And indeed they heard how the blades turned softly.  
  
"I wonder what I'm needed for." Nick said and started to lower the helicopter.  
  
"Okay, the minute we land, you open the door and leave the helicopter. Got that?"  
  
They nodded.  
  
"Okay then, here we go."  
  
Nick pushed the handle down and the helicopter touched the roof of the building. Immediately the door swung open and the four boys discharged. Softly the blades started to slow down and eventually stopped. Still no movement on the roof.  
  
"Okay guys, it's safe now." Nick said and together they ran back to the helicopter. They took out the bags with their equipment and left the helicopter.  
  
"I think we can safely assume this is plan B." Nick said.  
  
An attack from ground level seemed now only a very stupid thing to do.  
  
"Lucky we have one." Tum Tum said.  
  
"I suggest we get going." Colt added.  
  
"Good luck. See you down there." Nick said and he and Tum Tum sneaked to the door. Colt and Rocky started to unpack the elevators.  
  
  
  
Slowly Tum Tum and Nick entered the building. They walked carefully through the hallways till they reached the main staircase. Tum Tum pointed down. Nick nodded. They walked on.  
  
Suddenly Nick held still and pointed straight forward. A camera. Nick knew the buildings was filled with them. Almost sixty cameras throughout the building, and Parish had his own security guards who did nothing else then watch little television screens.  
  
Carefully Nick took a sirtaken out of his belt, aimed and swiftly threw it. It pinned dead on target and cut the electric wire which connected the camera to the system. Quickly both boys sneaked to the staircase.  
  
  
  
Down in the main security room, one of the guards suddenly saw a flickering screen. He only saw some lines and black curves.  
  
"Damned." He shook the little screen. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to his seat.  
  
  
  
In the meantime Colt and Rocky had set up their elevators. They attached the wire to their belts. They had carefully inserted the dropping distance.  
  
"You go first?" Colt asked.  
  
"We go together." Rocky said.  
  
They stood up a little wall which served as a safety fence for people who got on the roof. They looked down. They saw the pattern of lights throughout the city. Main street. Other high buildings. Very high. Rocky forced himself to look to the opposite building. They crossed their arms in front of their chests.  
  
They waited.  
  
Suddenly a red light flashed on Rocky's belt.  
  
"Three, two, one." Rocky counted in a quivering voice.  
  
They jumped.  
  
  
  
"Okay Tum. On the lookout."  
  
Nick pressed a small tool between the door and the doorpost. He inserted almost half of it. He pushed the button and a small counter started to count. He needed seven digits to switch off the alarm. Six digits. Tum Tum motioned. Five. Tum Tum gestured someone was coming. Four. He looked back at Tum Tum. Three. Tum Tum sneaked to him. "Two floors down." He whispered. Two. Nick held his breath. One.  
  
Click.  
  
The door was open. Nick and Tum Tum sneaked in and closed back the door. The guard in the gang passed the door, and walked on.  
  
Nick started up the computer. Tum Tum waited next to the door. The blue screen lighted up and the words: "PASSWORD?" blinked. Nick started to type very fast. Rapidly he inserted several keys and hit the enter button. The computer started to process. The screen changed but suddenly flashed back to blue. "PASSWORD?"  
  
Nick cursed. He inserted again several combinations. Again the computer started to process. But still the blue screen lighted up and asked for a password.  
  
Nick cursed again. He rapidly inserted several names he could think of.  
  
"Try Dragonheart!" Tum Tum said.  
  
Swiftly he typed "DRAGONHEART". He hit the enter button. The computer started to process. Nick grinned when the words "WELCOME" lighted up. He opened the browser and started to look for a certain document.  
  
"Tum how did you know…" He started.  
  
Tum Tum said: "I'll tell you later. There is someone coming." He listened to the door. "Lots of them."  
  
Nick groaned. He could have cursed himself.  
  
"Of course! When that guy in the hotel didn't come back… Hold on Tum, I'm getting close!"  
  
Nick clicked twice and a document appeared on the screen. He started to read:  
  
"Lorian Kennedy, Park Lane 7, …"  
  
The door swung open and a man came into the room. Tum Tum tripped him up and kicked the other fully in his stomach.  
  
"Ughh!" The man grunted and fell to the ground.  
  
Nick impressed the words upon his mind, while he pushed the button in his pocket. The signal was sent to the roof. He pulled the cables of the computer out and cut the power so they would not know what he was looking for.  
  
He jumped over the desk and kicked the rifle out of the man's hands who tried to shoot Tum Tum. He kicked the man at his head, tripped him up and kicked his foot at his jaw. He received the next man with two strokes in his neck. He jumped high and kicked the man full on his chest. He and Tum Tum took a pose and challenged the other man in the hall with a brutal grin. They had to pass the door one at the time.  
  
  
  
When Nick had pushed the button in his pocket, on the roof the led in Rocky's belt had started to flash. They had jumped.  
  
The McDean elevator did its job. When they were almost half of their fall, it slowly started to brake. The boys slowed down in their fall till eventually they held still in front of a window. They looked inside. They saw Nick kicking a guy in the air. They grinned.  
  
Rocky and Colt took their knives. With large gestures they scratched a circle on the glass. Their knives shrieked. They put both feet on the window and took a deep breath. They kneeled on the window and suddenly pushed! Their bodies flew backwards till they had reached their highest point, then they swung back. With their feet in front of them they shattered the windows. Pieces of glass flew into the air and shattered into the room. Quickly they stepped onto the window-sill and loosened the elevator cables. Ready to fight.  
  
Suddenly they heard shooting. The men down in the hall fired with rifles at the half closed door. Tum Tum and Nick dropped on the floor. They crawled sideways, but when they heard the men approach suddenly they were back on their feet. They let the first men pass but together kicked the following man in his stomach. With very fast strokes Tum Tum drove the man against a wall, turned around and hit him high in his face. A man grabbed him from behind. Tum Tum threw his head backwards, hit the guy in his stomach, stepped hard on his toe, and threw him over his back so another unwanted visitor tripped over him.  
  
Meanwhile Colt and Rocky had received the men like true ninja's. Rocky kicked the man full against his jaw, and Colt finished by taking the mans head and lowering it on his knee.  
  
"Sorry." He grinned.  
  
They all four gathered in the middle of the room. It was totally ransacked.  
  
"Let's get out of here." Rocky said.  
  
They all four ran to the window. Rocky and Colt fastened themselves back to the cables. Rocky grabbed Tum Tum and pushed the button. Colt and Nick did the same and quickly the elevators pulled them up.  
  
They crawled across the edge and stood up their feet. They ran to the helicopter.  
  
"Get in, get in!" Tum Tum gestured. He heard loud banging on the door.  
  
The four jumped into the helicopter and Nick pushed the button. The blades started to turn. First slowly but they gained speed and started to turn faster and faster. Suddenly the door swung open and men ran onto the roof. But the wind made by the turning blades almost blew them over the edge. They hid behind a large chimney.  
  
Suddenly Nick pulled up the handle and the helicopter took off. They heard gunshots but soon they were out of the men's reach.  
  
  
  
The helicopter swiftly flew south. Underneath them the traffic was visible in the dark night. It was an amazing sight. But the three ninja's were too tired to care. Colt and Tum Tum were fast asleep, resting their heads on each others shoulder. Rocky had a hard time too stay awake.  
  
"Go to sleep Rock." Nick smiled. "Now you still can."  
  
Rocky smiled. Five minutes later he was fast asleep. 


	10. They need help

They softly landed on a green grazing in the suburbs of the city. The blades slowed down and eventually stopped. The four boys jumped out of the helicopter and took out their belongings. "I'm sorry guys, we'll have to walk." Nick grinned. "Don't we have to return the helicopter?" Rocky asked. "Yea, let's drop by and say: we stole your heli." Colt laughed. "Yea. Guess you're right." Nick said. "You let me now if you see a phone booth." "I don't think they invented the phone here yet." Colt said. The four brothers looked around. "Don't exaggerate Colt." Rocky said. "There's a house over there!" "Can't be drop by and ask for some food? I'm hungry!" Tum Tum complained. "We first find the girl, the we get something to eat. If that doesn't motivates you." Nick laughed. "Okay, let's get going! I know it's somewhere in that direction." He pointed.  
  
They crawled over the barb wire and soon reached the road. They walked in the direction of the houses and after a minute or ten they had reached the suburbs. In the opposite direction an elderly lady walked slowly with her little dog. "I'll go ask her!" Rocky said. He went over to the lady and asked her something. She pointed over her back and gave some directions. Rocky thanked her and ran back to his brothers. "It's up there. Second street on the left, first on the right." The four boys stepped onto the pavement and started walking in the direction the elderly lady had given them. Silently they walked on for a few minutes and reached the street where they had to be. There were large trees who threw shadows upon the pavement. "Park Lane number seven." Nick said. "It must be over there." He pointed to a white house with a lot of trees in the garden. The curtains were drawn, and they didn't see a movement inside the house. They went to the house and Tum Tum looked on the letterbox. "Kennedy." He said. "That's her. Hope she's home." Colt said and walked to the door. He rang.  
  
Nothing.  
  
They all looked very disappointed when Colt came back. "I guess no-one's home." He said but when he said that all of a sudden he heard a voice behind his back: "Hello! Can I help you?" A girl, about Nick's age, stood in the garden. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear the bell at first." "That's ok." Colt said who looked at her with big eyes. The girl was quite pretty, she had dark hair with even darker eyes and wore a plain white cotton dress. "We are." Rocky started, but Nick interrupted him. "Are you Lorian Kennedy?  
  
Suddenly the girl was on her guard.  
  
"How do you know?" "What do you mean?" "How did you now my name is Lorian? Cause as a matter of fact, my name is Jesse Kennedy. Lorian is my ninja-name." "Do you happen to know some guy named Parish?" Her eyes narrowed. "No, I don't." "I think you do. He's better known as the Black Dragon." "You wanna come in?" she asked and without waiting for an answer she walked back through the garden. Rocky shrugged. "Let's follow her." They all walked behind the girl into the backyard.  
"Okay, I guess you know everything. First tell me your names." They were seated under a pine tree. "This is Rocky, that little one is Tum Tum, the oldest one is Nick and erm. I'm Colt!" "I'm Lorian. Hi." She smiled. They laughed nervously, but then they became serious again. "So, how do you know Parish?" "Oh we met him a couple of times. Nice guy." Colt said. "You?" "He's just been here one time. He knew everything about me. He became very angry when I already had conquered the four dragons. Thanks to Kasuyi." "Who is." Tum Tum started. "My grandmother. But she died a few years ago." "I'm sorry." Nick said. It went quiet for a moment. "So you are probably wondering why we came here. and how we know who you are." She nodded. "To tell you the truth, we need your help." Immediately they had her full attention. "When I was living with my grandfather." Nick started and the next half an hour she just listened.  
"Oh my god! You guys really broke in his building? You hacked his computer?? But how did you know?" "Yea, Tum Tum, how did you know?" Nick asked, when he remembered how Tum Tum had given him the right clue to enter the computer. "Well you know, we were in the hotel, and I bumped into a guy, and he was really off the place. And he dropped his keys. And on his key chain there was a small image of a dragon. And it made me think of that movie we once saw. I don't know why I said it in the first place. It just crossed my mind." "Great Tum! I'm never gonna call you a pizzabrain anymore." Colt said jokingly. "Just dork." "Look who's talking here, hotshot." Nick added. They laughed. In the meanwhile Lorian had been thinking. She mumbled a bit but suddenly raised her voice. "And you want me to come along to fight Parish?" she said. Nick stammered a bit. "Well erm. as a matter of fact. yes." "We would be very thankful." Rocky added. She laughed. "I guess you would!" Rocky started to giggle when he realised how silly he just sounded. "But how are you so sure we can beat him? I mean, we are only. " she counted, ".five, and he has dozens of ninjas. And I think he's a lot stronger then I am." "I don't think so." Rocky said. "Yea, we're better." Tum Tum said and nodded fiercely. "We're good guys and he's the bad guy. You know, when those stupid dragons have some common sense they will choose our side." Colt said. "I sure hope so." Lorian said but smiled. "That means.?" Rocky started. "I'm coming with you." She said. "Great!!" Colt said, a bit too fast, and the others started to laugh. Tum Tum started to make kissing sounds. "Wooooooo give her a kiss!" he shouted. Colt blushed deeply. "Watch it dork!" He pushed Tum Tum and they started to wrestle. "Okay, while the kids are playing maybe we can set out our plan." Nick said. "Okay guys now stop it!" Rocky said. "Stop what? I'm not doing anything!" Tum Tum yelled when Colt pushed him on the ground and took him in a hold. "Colt that's enough. Grow up!" "Grow up yourself!" "Okay, that's it!" Rocky took hold of Colts arm and pushed him away from Tum Tum. "We've got more important things to do." Tum Tum crawled to his feet and the three boys followed Nick and Lorian inside the house.  
Okay, i have been inactive for quite a while and i still have to write the ending. I know how it's gonna end, but it's not written down yet.  
  
I'm no native english speaker, so please don't be too hard on me on my language. I'll do my very best to keep it readable to you. It's almost a year since i wrote this last chapter so i guess my language should have improved. ( We'll see  
  
Please read and review, either good or bad. 


	11. The Attack

"So okay, what do yóu think we should do?" Nick asked Lorian. "Ermm.. I guess we go up to him and then make him give your powers back." "And how are we gonna do that?" Nick asked. "Dunno. We'll have to make him give them back by fighting I guess." "Yea!" Colt added. "We could attack them and then Lorian fights the guy and beats him." "That's what they call 'back to basics'!" Rocky said jokingly. "As a matter of fact that's how we gonna handle this." Lorian said.  
  
The five of them got into the car. It was about eleven p.m. Nick drove and they passed the field where they had landed. There were some vans surrounding the helicopter and what seemed like some cops were walking around it. Nick had made an anonymous phone call before they left.  
  
After a few hours they drove back into the city. They went straight to the building of Parish Enterprises and parked in a parking lot opposite to the building. "Okay here I go." Lorian said and got out of the car. The four boys sneaked out of the opposite door and disappeared behind some other cars. Lorian counted to sixty and then crossed the street. She limped heavily and used a cane to walk. She walked on the steps, and if there was someone who was carefully watching her, he surely would have noticed she didn't need the cane. Her legs were fine. She walked up to one of the guards, who was watching her with great interest. "Excuse me sir, my car has broken down. I was wondering if you could let me use the phone?" "Depends what you wanna do for it." The guard said and the others laughed snearingly. Lorian smiled. "Well I can give you this." With that she took the cane and swung it to the guard's head. He fell like a brick to the ground. Meanwhile Lorian quickly turned around, swung the cane a few times and then hit an attacking guard in the stomach. She finished by kicking his head on her knee. She pointed the cane at another guard's stomach and then thrusted forward. He fell to the ground. She knocked him out.  
  
Meanwhile the four boys had taken care of the other guards. They took their weapons and their radios. With an electronic key Rocky opened the door. They crept inside and the door closed behind them. Silently they walked to the door opposite the hall which lead to the elevators. Lorian and Tum Tum took care of the camera's by cutting the wires with sirtakens. They walked to the elevator hall. They got into the elevator which could get them to the private quarters of Parish. Slowly the elevator went up but suddenly it stopped. "What's wrong?" Rocky asked but before someone could answer they heard the sound of running footsteps coming towards the elevator.  
  
"The elevators are connected to the security system I guess." Nick said. "We gotta get out of here." He felt at the ceiling of the elevator till he found the way to escape. He opened it and they left the elevator. They were standing on the elevator when they suddenly felt the elevator go up. They stood in the dark, but suddenly a flash of light above their heads crept into the dark. Someone had opened the door a few metres above their level and the elevator was still going up. Within a few seconds they would have reached the same floor as the men who were waiting for them.  
  
"It's my turn now." Lorian said. She raised her hands and closed her eyes. Sparkles of energy ran through her body to her hands and left her fingers. A large bundle of fire left her hands and raged through the dark. They could hear men scream and yell above them. A few seconds later the elevator passed the door and they jumped onto the floor.  
  
"Seventeenth floor!" Nick said. "It has to be here somewhere." They ran while behind them the guards started to recover. Some of them were badly hurt, but others who were only lightly wounded gathered and ran behind them. Rocky and Nick faced two men and kicked them on the head at the same time. Colt and Tum Tum finished them while the others ran on. "There it is." Nick pointed to a door. He heard the foorsteps of the guards behind them. "You go in Lorian. We'll get your back."  
  
She went in.  
  
The guards came around the corner and saw them standing there. They aimed but before they could properly pull the trigers they were attacked by four ferocious fighters. There were about fifteen guards, but their weapons were useless and they couldn't defend themselves against trained and highly skilled ninjas.  
  
Almost done  
  
Last chapter coming up  
  
River4Rain 


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